Vanadium oxide (VO2) undergoes a metal-insulator transition (MIT), in the vicinity of about 67° C., that is accompanied by a dramatic conductivity change of several orders of magnitude. Electric-field triggered conductance changes in oxide materials such as VO2 are of interest because of the potential of fabricating new classes of electronic devices such as switches for computing technologies. Of particular interest is the fabrication of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices that incorporate a functional oxide whose properties can be controlled by means of external stimuli.
More generally, the study of the MIT functionality of oxide structures (such as VO2 thin films) that can be modulated by external stimuli, such as an electric field or the temperature, may be useful in a wide range of applications that include without limitation bolometers, microscale electro-optic modulators, infrared detectors, and innovative memory elements.